Add a Frenched Rack of Lamb to any order for $39.99 at checkout
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Add a Frenched Rack of Lamb to any order for $39.99 at checkout

Doing Things Differently is Our Thing.

Meet the team

Somewhere along the evolutionary path from spear-toting hunter-gatherer to smoothie-swigging smartphone soldiers we went from a diet featuring whole ingredients to unholy matrimonies of industrialized monstrosities, harvested, mechanically separated, and reassembled into questionable beef-like objects.

What we’re trying to say is, food got weird, man.

As a result, we’ve become weird about food. We’re lactose intolerant, gluten-free, non-GMO, grain-free, buzzword fiends chasing the dietary dragon to get our fix of that pure, unadulterated taste we remember from a time long forgotten. But guess what? The real solution isn’t the next big thing. It was actually the first big thing: Pre-Industrial food. No feedlots, no added hormones, no unnecessary antibiotics, no corn-fed cattle.

Pre® wants to set the taste clock back to the time just before food got so weird, and keep the quality right there. It’s not going to be easy, but doing things the right way rarely is. These things make us different, and we’re okay with that.

We Believe in Food Transparency

So we founded a grass-fed beef brand to deliver just that – offering the best-tasting, highest-quality beef in the world – with absolute transparency from pasture to package to plate.  

We Source Ethically From Farmers with Nutrient-rich Pastures

All of our healthy beef is grass-fed and grass-finished from Australia and New Zealand, where nutrient-rich grasses grow year-round for cattle. Plus, they have some of the strictest standards. All our beef is cut, trimmed or ground in Chicago.  

We Do Things Differently

As a grass-fed beef brand, we think about beef differently, so we approach beef differently. We believe in respecting your taste, your health and your time. We never add hormones or antibiotics. Absolutely no GMOs. Our packaging is airtight and 100% nitrate and BPA free. We believe organic isn’t a label, it is a lifestyle, and we treat animals with respect.

We're just geeks deeply in love with the little details that go into making food amazing

KEVIN PONTICELLI

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Our CEO, Kevin Ponticelli, brings more than 30 years of terrific experience from senior leadership positions in food and beverage, working across sales, marketing, and general management, and we’re thankful we have such a proficient leader on-board! His roles have included: COO and President of Mizkan American Inc., CEO for Discovery Foods, President of both Kraft’s North American Cheese business and Kraft’s Pizza Division, and Senior Executive VP for Dairy Management Inc . In fact while at Kraft, Kevin led development, test marketing and expansion of DiGiorno rising crust pizza, and helped to create the ‘It’s Not Delivery, It’s DiGiorno’ ad campaign that launched the business nationally. He’s also a member of the Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame, and enjoys all sports. His favorite food is a big, delicious cheeseburger. Which means our ground beef is his go-to for hand pressed patties grilled medium rare over a charcoal fire, with a melted slice of American cheese on a toasted bun (with all the fixings)….accompanied by an ice cold beer. It’s his perfect, nostalgic meal that brings back great memories of hot summer cookouts and family picnics.

 

 

NICOLE SCHUMACHER

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Nicole is our savvy and tenacious CMO. She is not just at Pre for the chuck roast (which she uses in a killer French onion soup), she’s here because she is passionate about the importance of real food and Pre’s mission to deliver real, grass fed and finished beef to carnivores all over the country. She knows how to get things done, create great experiences (even on a short deadline), plan, strategize, and rock & roll. You will probably never see Nicole at her desk for more than an hour, because she is always in motion, working with our partners, team members, and customers. She comes to Pre with 20 years of experience in start-up businesses like Boca, Forkless Gourmet, and Natural Fitness from ground zero. So it’s not her first rodeo when it comes to start-ups and small businesses. In her off-time from being our fierce boss lady you can find her spending time with her family and probably enjoying some Swedish fish too.

MATT JACKSON

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Matt is our Chief Operations Officer, and he makes sure we are running efficiently in every way. He has crucial supply chain and operational leadership, as well as incredible innovation execution within all facets of Pre in retail and e-commerce channels. Matt is driven to disrupt established categories through innovation and better execution than our competitors, and we are happy he is leading our Operations team! Matt's favorite Pre cut is a grilled filet mignon, because it is so tender and juicy—paired with some of Jenn B.'s smashed potato chips. If you really want to put Matt in a good mood, all you need to do is add chocolate chip pistachio cake to the dessert menu.Outside of Pre, Matt really, really enjoys golf. A great day includes golf in the morning and watching golf in the afternoon, followed by a family dinner.

JASON PINTER

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Jason is our good-natured and proficient CFO. He joined Pre because of the shared mutual values regarding our desires to eat healthier, understand more about where our food is coming from, and what ingredients are used in it. We are excited to have him here — he comes with tons of experience working in finance at companies like SpotHero, Orbitz, and Kraft. Jason loves our filet mignon because it’s delicious and goes well with just about anything! When Jason is not at Pre you can find him spending time with his kids (probably being pranked by them) and doing fun things in and around Chicago.

DAVID MELTZER

CHIEF SALES OFFICER

David is our energetic CSO who boldly and strategically approaches every project with a positive attitude and vigor. We can count on him to move mountains and never miss any details while he’s at it. He helps us get the word out about Pre by introducing our brand to partners so we can grow and support different regions and his commitment to quality and results are the kinds of things that really make us happy to have David on our team. He brings with him years of experience as Senior Vice President of Sales with Hometown Food Company, a private equity backed company, which acquired and managed a portfolio of brands, including Pillsbury® and Funfetti®, from The J.M. Smucker Company and Senior Vice President of Sales at Richelieu Foods a private equity backed private brand pizza and pourable dressing producer. When David is not working with new customers or taste-testing our New York Strip, you can probably find him spending time with his wife and daughter enjoying the outdoors whether it be swimming, the beach, playing golf, or enjoying time with other family and friends. You might even find him at the ballpark taking in a great game with a local brew (most likely an IPA).

PAULA DEMURIA

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Paula is our bright and bold Senior Director of Business Development. She has a track record of...well, being the best… and we like that about her. We are happy she is here because she has loads of experience with different food brands, small to large, and she has helped each one grow strong and fast. When Paula is not at Pre, you can probably find her at the beach with friends and family. Paula is a great cook and loves making her families’ old Italian recipes—we love it when she does that too. But if you were to cook Paula a cut of Pre, she would request a filet mignon, black and blue, followed by a chocolate dessert, any form—any size, wrapped around any other sweets!

JESSI ADRIGNOLA

ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER

Jessi is our Art Director who has lots of passion and enthusiasm for creating a great design, image, package, advertisement, the list goes on… Whatever she is working on, we know she is putting her heart into it, and most likely while drinking way too much black coffee. She helps us create and plan meaningful content and she has loads of experience from design agencies, start-ups, and freelance work. Her favorite cut of Pre is the filet mignon and the 92% ground beef (for her nachos). When she isn’t creating at Pre, she is probably collaborating on art projects, seeing stand-up or live music, dancing, painting, playing video games, or having great food & drinks with great company.

YOSEPH ARSALA

DIRECTOR, SUPPLY CHAIN

"My favorite cut is the ribeye, best flavor. Pre fuels my ambition to overcome the many operating obstacles startups face daily. My guilty pleasure…Swedish Fish. My ultimate weekend is relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Tulum, Mexico."

JENNIFER BORCHARDT

MARKET MANAGER

Jen is our Market Manager. Have you ever gone to pick up Pre at the grocery store and there is a woman straightening the shelves and conversing with the meat managers in Pre attire? That is probably Jen, making sure our stores are top notch for carnivore consumption. Jen is always working towards the future, whether that means introducing Pre to new retailers, figuring out ways to support our customers through store events, or watering our herb garden at the Pre office so her fellow employees can have fresh basil all year round—Jen is always someone you can count on. She believes in Pre and it shows through her positive attitude, enthusiastic energy and teamwork.

JON BYKERK

CONTROLLER

Jon is the Controller at Pre. He usually gets to the office first in the morning on his bicycle and can hold his own during our table tennis matches. He’s got a great plaid shirt for every camping trip and our chuck roast is his go-to, barbacoa-style specifically. Jon brings over 12 years of experience in finance to Pre and is a passionate foodie (so we always make sure he is available during our recipe testing). In his spare time, Jon prefers to be outdoors. We are pretty sure if we had a rooftop Jon might up be there all day.

JULIE DIVIS

QUALITY MANAGER

Julie is really into food. Some might argue too much (we wouldn’t though, she is a Food Scientist after all). She’s our Quality Manager and we are very happy about that. Whether she is conducting a food quality experiment, testing new products (and we don’t mean JUST taste testing) or overseeing our production process, her goal is always the same: deliver the highest quality product and taste every single time. She knows how things work, why they work, and how to make them work better. And she can tell you all the reasons why bread tastes better toasted. Julie has been named one of Progressive Grocer’s 2018 GenNext Award winners and has worked in the food industry for companies like Hillshire Brands and Tyson Foods before finding her way to Pre. Outside of work, Julie loves cooking, doing yoga, hanging by a fire pit (master of s’mores) or spending time with her husband and new baby daughter (lovingly referred to as nugget).

LAURA DONOVAN

CONTENT MANAGER

Laura is our Content Manager that can make a photo worth a thousand dinners. She has worked with other food companies and alongside impressive chefs, learning the cooking trade and mastering her photography skills. She helps us create and capture delicious and innovative content every day. Her favorite cut of Pre is a filet mignon and this is because it really does melt in your mouth (add cheesecake in for dessert, and the entire meal will be perfect.) When she is not working at Pre she is probably spending time at the lake with great people, as well as her amazing pup, Al.

LIZ HOLT

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

"My favorite cut is the filet. Perfect size, super tender, less fat but tons of flavor. Pre fuels my desire to change the beef industry from the inside out. My guilty pleasure is baking delicious desserts. On the weekend, you’ll find me painting, dog cuddling, at game nights with friends and having really good dinners, of course."

ASHLEY REYNOSO

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

Ashley is our Accountant, aka Money Crunching Boss Lady. She plays a fierce game of tennis (on weekends she plays on USTA leagues!) so challenge her at your own risk. We are excited Ashley is here because she is a a team-player fueled with ambition and positivity to help Pre succeed. If you forgot your receipts, you (might) be able to make up for it by giving Ashley a bag of kettle chips or popcorn. She is a passionate cook and always ready for a recipe taste test in the Pre kitchen. On the weekends Ashley loves to try out new breakfast joints and enjoys quality time with friends and family.

DAVID VLCEK

OPERATIONS MANAGER

David is the Operations Manager at Pre. When it comes to making sure things move smoothly at our plant and our product arrives safely within the right time frame for “wow, that’s tender,” David has the schedule memorized and is monitoring it to the minute and temperature (and he is probably 2 months ahead of you on it too). We’re so happy to have David on-board, he is a food science professional and has years of experience in food, new product development, quality control and food safety, with hands on experience in new product creation, testing, production methodology and OSHA, USDA & GMP regulations! Pre fuels his desire to learn, develop and grow within the food industry. When David is not solving problems at Pre or finding them before they need to be solved, he is most likely found participating in a BBQ competition (no Michelin stars, but he has won quite a few awards in rib categories). He says there is nothing better than seeing a person’s reaction to eating something he has spent hours making. Bringing the family together for a smoked beef brisket with all the fixin’s makes him the happiest…that… and a cold beer + a Pre® Filet Mignon w/parmesan crust and a twice baked potato. When he isn’t barbecuing, he loves to play golf, hockey, and guitar.

Let’s be friends
with food benefits